Background

The United Nations Network on Racial Discrimination and Protection of Minorities (“The Network”) was established in 2012 at the initiative of then-Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to enhance dialogue and cooperation between relevant UN Departments, Agencies, Programmes and Funds. Recent global developments – including the massive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in minority communities, as well as Black Lives Matter and its global affiliated movements – have significantly heightened the relevance of the Network, as well as raised its priority across many of the involved UN agencies and entities. The Network has endeavored in the recent period to support the UN system – including UN Country Teams and Humanitarian Teams at country level – in responding to what one involved senior official referred to as “the compelling ask to the UN system coming from society-at-large worldwide” that we improve our response to racial discrimination and minority rights issues. 

The Network brings together over 20 UN Departments, Agencies, Programmes and Funds, all of which have identified focal points for this purpose (current members include DESA, DOCO, DGC, DPA, DPKO, ILO, OCHA, OHCHR, OSAPG, PBSO, UNAIDS, UNAOC, UNDP, UNEP, UNHCR, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNITAR, UNESCO, UNODC, UN Women, WFP and WHO). 

OHCHR acts as permanent co-chair of the Network. In 2021, the Network for the first time has a rotating co-chair, currently UNESCO.  The Network’s regular email list currently includes circa 200 UN staff. 

In December 2020, the Network adopted a Workplan for the period 2021-2025, for the first time done under a “pillared” format, with various UN agencies and entities taking the lead in providing thematic coordination. The Network Work Plan 2021+ has eight Pillars, each led by one or more UN entities: 
 

1. Leave No One Behind (WHO Pillar Lead)

   Key Actions 2021

   Online comprehensive training targeting UN staff at field level.

   Publication of Case Studies in combatting racial discrimination and strengthening protection of minorities from the UN country teams and humanitarian teams.

2. Criminal Justice (UNODC Pillar Lead)

   Key Actions 2021

   Statement to the 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice: "Advancing crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law: towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda"

   Side-event on the margins of the 2021 UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice: "Stepping up the United Nations System's Coordinated Response to Racial Discrimination and Protection of Minorities: Towards Effective, Inclusive and Equitable Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Systems"

3. Agenda for Protection (OHCHR Pillar Lead)

   Key Action 2021
   Strengthening minority protection and addressing racial discrimination in follow-up to the Secretary General's Call to Action on human rights, as well as laying the groundwork for strengthening minority rights protection and addressing racial discrimination in UN prevention, security and peacekeeping.

4. Intersectionality (UNAIDS Pillar Lead)

   Key Actions 2021
   Guidance Note on intersectionality, racial discrimination and protection of minorities, as well as a library data base of expert literature on intersectionality matters.

5. Communications (DGC and UNFPA Pillar Leads)

   Key Actions 2021
   UN system Trello board for comms products and actions related to racial discrimination and minority rights.

   Support for 2021 20^th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Program of Action (World Conference Against Racism 2001)

6. Knowledge Hub (UNHCR Pillar Lead)

   Key Actions 2021
   Creating a shared platform for Network's members, supporting with capacity building initiatives, organizing thematic webinars.

7. UN Internal Diversity: currently inactive pending the outcome of the Secretary General's Task Force on Addressing Racism at the UN
8. UN Network on Racial Discrimination and Protection of Minorities Development Pillar: (OHCHR and UNESCO Co-Chairs Pillar Leads)

Consultations toward the Network activities for the period 2022-2023 are currently open. As part of these consultations, on 21 September 2021, on the margins of the 48th Human Rights Council, the Network held its first side event discussion with UN Member States. The meeting highlighted challenges and opportunities for strengthening UN programming at country level to address racial discrimination and to strengthen protection of minorities. In particular, examples of country level-programming to use and implement the Network’s Checklist to Strengthen UN Work at Country Level to Combat Racial Discrimination and Advance Minority Rights were shared.

Objectives 

The Network welcomes practical suggestions toward the development of its programme of work for the period 2022-2023.

Types of input sought

Contributors to this consultation should ideally indicate priorities for joint UN action at the global level with potential implications for action on the ground, recalling that the Network has resource limitations. Suggestions should take that factor into account.